Air valve for radiators



W. J. COOK AIR VALVE FOR RADIATORS Dec. 22, 1925- Filed April 2, 1925gwuentoz attozmq Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITEDVSTATE'S WILLIAM Jycoox, or CHARLOTTE, NORTH canonnvn.

AIR VALVE FOR BADIATOBS] To all whom it may concern: H

Be it known that I, /VIL IAM J. Coon a citizenof the United States, andresident of Charlotte, in the-county of Mecklenburg and 'State of NorthCarolina, have invented a new and useful Air Valve for Radiators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of .my invention is to provide an improved air valve forradiators which will take care of all the waterthat may-accumulate fromtime to time caused by the shutting off of the radiator, and whichtherefore will result in a more efficient operation of the radiator anda less expenditure for fuel. I attain these and other objects of myinvention by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings,.inwhich- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention applied to aradiator; 7

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through vention;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3.3 of Fig. 2, and i Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section on line 4@l of Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in each of the severalviews.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I provide an air valve base 1which has a threaded connection with the radiator R. I

my inprovide a cup 5 having a threaded end 4: which I The oppositepassages 11 which extend.

through lower float 8 are positioned with their openings under thebottom face of cover 13, as shown in Fig. 2, so that when lower float 8is raised that operation will close the passages by reason of thecontact of lower weight 8 with the bottom surface of cover 13. Screwedon the top of cup 5 is the cover 13 to which in turn is screwed a cap21. The cover 13 is provided with an annular slanting top surface whichprovldes a seat for the annular flange 19 of the upper float 18. Thelatter member carries a lead or other soft metal packing member 20 inits upper portion, as shown in Fig. 1. I do not make use of compositionpacking for the reason that t does not work satisfactorily inasmuch as1t heats up and expands which would cause the I valve to stick and notseat itselfwhen the pressure is low. A lead packing works much betterthan any composition pack1ng,and a Applieation' filed April 2, 1925.Serial No. 20,178.

composition packing therefore is not the equivalent forthe purpose ofthis invention.

. In operation the steam flo-wsthrough thechannel 3 ofbase 1 and thencethrough ch'annel 7 of cup extension 4 striking against the dome-shapedrecess 10' of member 9- and belng diverted from chamber 6 to theopposite grooves 12 in-extension' 9 and float 8, which groovescommunicate with the passages 11 whichextend through float:8. It thenmay pass through the space 14 between float 8 and cover 13 to thecentral 'aassage' 15 through cover 13, and thence-through the annularspace 16 between upper float 18 and cover 13 and will raise the upperfloat 18 when there is sufficient pressure and escape through the space23 whichseparates upper float 18 and cap 21, and thence pass out throughthe aperture 22 in the top of 21.

It is a well-known fact that there is no i system, either steam orvvacuum 'or vapor, that will give satisfactory results and permit ofsaving of fuel unless the system is clear "of water that may accumulatein it. Often radiators are turned off fromtime to time and wateraccumulates in the radiator and then 'when the steam is turned on,before the steam can get into circulation through each section air willbegin to escape from the air valve and as soon as the air is out of theradiator water will follow before the steam can get in front of thewater. By providing a heavy weight in the base and a small weight in thecap of my radiator valve I take care of all condensed water that mayaccumulate from time to time by reason of the main steam valve beingclosed. When the steam is turned on the air passes through the channels11 ofthe bottom float and into the annular passage 16 under the upperfloat, raising that float to permit of the escape of steam past theannular seat 17 into the space 23 and through the vent 22. As soon asthe air passes out water follows, in case there is water in the radiatorand then the pressure of water raises the upper float 18 and its leadpacking 2O presses against and closes the vent opening 22 in cap 21 andkeeps it closed until the steam circulates into every section of theradiator. Then the water begins to circulate and returns to the boiler.

It takes only from three to five pounds of steam to raise the float orweight 8 in the lower portion of the valve and thus to close My valveWill not only Work on a steam system but will operate on a vacuumsystem,

because unless the air is drawn out of the vacuum system by a pump thatis running all the time it Will cause trouble Whenmore .orless airaccumulates. This valve provides a means for the escape of air when-acertaln pressure is exceeded. 7 Y

- What I claim is:

' 1. In a radiator air valve, thecombinationoi an air valve base, a cupmounted v secured on the cup, the cover having a pas-- sage throughsame, said cover having its bottom surface of suflicient area to seatover ."on the base andhaving apassage extending through the bottom of acup, a float seated in the cup, saidfloat having opposite passagesextending therethrough and positioned near its outer surface, a' cover"detachably the passages through the lowerfloat When that member. israised, an upper float having [a-lead packing mounted on-its topportion, and a capdetachably secured to the cover .member covering theupper float and in spaced-relation thereto, the said cap having anopening positioned directly over the lead packingelement carried bytheupper float.

2. In a radiator-air valve, the:combination of an air valve base, a cupmounted on the base and having a passage extending through the bottom ofthe cup, a float seated in the cup, said float having .apassage exitsouter surface, a cover detachably secured on the cup, the cover having apassage through same, said cover having its bottom surface of suflicientarea to seat over the passage through the lower float when that memberis raised, an upper float having a lead packing mounted on its topportion,

and a cap sdetaoh'ably secured to the cover member covering the upperfloat a'ndifin spacedrelationlthereto, the said: cap having an openingpositionedd-irectly over'the lead,

packing element carried by the upper float. '3. In a radiator air valve,the combination of an airf valvebase, a -.cuplilre casing .mounted onthe base, said" casing-having a passage in communication with thepassage through the air valve base, a float seated in the I aforesaidcasing, I a cover detachably secured to the casing and positioned inspaced relation to the float, said cover having aipassage therethrough,a cap "detachm ably secured to the cover, the cap having an openingtherethrough, an upper float-member contained within the, cap and seatedon the cover member theuaforesaid upper float having a soft metalpacking ineinbeiq tending therethrough and positioned near,

mounted thereon and positioned to seal the opening in the capwhen thereis suflicient pressure 111 the valve to raise the upper float.

WILLIAM J. oo'oK;

